Philadelphia Eagles Blog - Go Iggles

January 31, 2008

In case people hadn't heard it, Eagles running back Brian Westbrook repeated that he is among the growing list of players who are siding with quarterback Donovan McNabb, requesting that management bring additional weapons to the team for next season.

"I think having more weapons on your team takes pressure off of everybody," said Westbrook, who is at Super Bowl XLII as part of a promotional campaign with Chili's Restaurant. "If you look at a team like the Patriots, they have so many weapons that if you shut down one guy, it just gives so many more opportunities to other guys to play well.

"If you have those guys who can make those plays, it makes it a lot easier on the entire team. That's something we could definitely use and hopefully we'll get that."

I understand you draft for the long term, with a focus on a few key positions. I get the philosophy. But when Reggie Brown is the only skill position player you've drafted since 2003 who is actually contributing, you're going to have to go get some guys as free agents.

January 30, 2008

It's the Super Bowl week with all the ludicrous hype that entails, I've been on the road for work the last few days and now that I'm home there's a fair amount of baby prep work I need to get through, so not sure there's going to be much of an update this week.

If you missed this story about the way Reid build his coaching staff, I'd definitely go back and check it out. Too bad about Ike Reese.

January 25, 2008

I had a thought this morning while reading this good Les Bowen piece on the Eagles' coordinators at the Senior Bowl. The part that caught my eye was something Marty Mornhinweg said:

"[The Giants] have so many [blitzes] that you're not going to be able to practice against all of them," said Mornhinweg, who added that it is quite possible to spend the week preparing for blitzes the Giants don't end up using against you. "They can really put some heat on . . . it's difficult to try to prepare for that much," even with the extra week between the conference championships and the Super Bowl.

"What happens, if you try to prepare for that much, then you put your signal-callers [the quarterback and the center, who makes the blocking calls at the line], in a position where they start seeing ghosts" - overthinking and seeing extra wrinkles that aren't there.

I think Marty may have revealed a bit more about why the Eagles struggled against the Giants this year that he meant to with that statement. You know how Andy is always saying he needs to put his guys in a "bit better position to make plays"? Well it's the coaches' job to counter-scheme for things like the Giants' blitz packages. And if they're not figuring out a way to break down things so that their players can make the right calls, then the execution isn't going to be there -- even if the talent is there to match up.

Now I'm not bagging on Marty for the job he did this year. Everyone in the league has struggled blocking the Giants' rush. But you can be certain that the offensive coaches are going to spend the next few months moving X's and O's around a white board so that next year things will be different.

And in mini-camp, when the team is doing some early work putting in packages for division rivals, the Giants are going to be right at the top of the list. (Kind of like how I imagine the Eagles' screen game has been at the top of New York's list the last couple years, based on how well they now shut that part of our offense down.)

Hey, last year, most of the league struggled to stop the New Orleans' passing game, which basically consisted of: 1) Throw deep to Colston and 2) Throw a LOT of really short passes to cover up the fact that the line is weak and as a whole it's not an overly talented group.

Former Eagles coach Ray Rhodes is expected to join the Houston Texans' coaching staff as an assistant defensive backs coach. Rhodes, who has health problems, spent the last 5 years on Mike Holmgren's staff in Seattle. He grew up in Mexia, Texas, which is about a 2 1/2-hour drive from Houston.

I've seen a few mock drafts on blogs and other mostly anonymous sports sites, but I don't think draft season really starts until the big guns start weighing in, like SI's Don Banks.

Now, I know you're not going to believe this, but Mr. Banks actually predicts the Eagles will take ... a first-round wide receiver:

19

WR

Malcolm Kelly

Oklahoma

Jr.

6-4

217

Quarterback Donovan McNabb has made it known that he needs more playmakers at receiver, and selecting Kelly would be a clear-cut indication that his request was heard and heeded by Andy Reid. Kelly has the size that NFL scouts prefer and is known for his quality route-running.

January 24, 2008

In the last 24 hours I've seen approximately 500 mentions of Philip Rivers' successful ACL surgery (it was on the crawl during ESPN's Australian Open coverage). Every single story includes some variation of this line:

The surgery was performed by Dr. David Chao of the team's medical staff. Rivers will rehab for up to six months.

January 23, 2008

Penn State linebacker Dan Conner drops in coverage well and is physical. He is only about 235 pounds, so he's going to have to make it as an outside linebacker and is going to have to show his coverage skills here.

Eagles fans may recall the parting shots Donovan McNabb fired on his way out the door this season. The quarterback, who doesn't figure to have all that many years left in Philly, is looking for the team to add a couple playmakers to boost the near-term playoff prospects.

Now that the season is over and we are concentrating on 2008, I hope we are able to secure some playmakers in all three phases of the game. Maybe some of those playmakers are already on the roster but have struggled with injuries, myself included, that have held us back a little...

We were 8-8. There is room for improvement. This is a competitive sport. It's about putting together the best players, the best team, and giving yourself the best chance to win.

"We were somewhat productive on offense and our defense played well, but the fact is we were 8-8. We have to figure out why we were 8-8. We need some help at certain positions, and any time we can strengthen ourselves at any position, that is what our goal is," he said. "Free agency is first and then it's the draft. I think we can get help in free agency and in the draft."

GIVE JOSH MCDANIELS SOME RESPECT. From Vince Chase, of Winchester, N.H. "Giving your 'Coach of the Week' to Kevin Gilbride is lame when Josh McDaniels recognizes that his passing game isn't working so he goes three-tight end power-running and smacks the vaunted and injury-free Chargers defense right in the mouth. Not only did McDaniels have the guts to take the ball out of the hands of the league MVP, but he had his guys prepared to switch up their offensive philosophy to control the clock and pound their opponent into submission. Now THAT'S coaching.

I'm so surprised you're from New England. So that's coaching, and a guy in charge of a mistake-prone quarterback all season, who, against the league's sixth-rated scoring defense, devises a gameplan that puts 380 turnover-free offensive yards and 23 points on the board in minus-24 wind-chill didn't do a good job Sunday? Vince, there's a whole wide world out there. Expand your horizons.

January 22, 2008

The Falcons' interest in speaking with Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo illustrated the respect he has garnered in his first season here, but now that Big Blue is going to the Super Bowl, his stock is even higher.

The Redskins reportedly want to speak with Spagnuolo about their head coaching post as well.

Hopefully it doesn't become a bidding war -- Snyder isn't ever going to be outspent on his coaching hires.